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Does Pyromancy Scale with Faith? A Deep Dive into Dark Souls Lore

The answer, like many things in the Dark Souls universe, is nuanced and depends heavily on which Dark Souls game you’re playing. In short: yes, pyromancy can scale with faith, but it’s not always the case and the specifics vary game to game. Let’s break down how faith interacts with pyromancy across the Dark Souls trilogy and beyond, arming you with the knowledge you need to build the ultimate fire-slinging character.

Pyromancy Scaling Across the Dark Souls Series

Dark Souls 1: The Independent Flame

In the original Dark Souls, pyromancy is unique. It doesn’t scale with any stat, including faith or intelligence. The damage output of your pyromancies is solely determined by the upgrade level of your Pyromancy Flame. Think of it as upgrading a weapon – the higher the upgrade, the more potent your fiery spells become. To maximize your pyromancy potential in Dark Souls 1, focus on acquiring souls and upgrading your Pyromancy Flame with NPCs like Laurentius of the Great Swamp or Quelaana of Izalith. Humanity does not actually scale with Chaos Pyromancies, despite it being intended.

Dark Souls 2: The Int/Faith Hybrid

Dark Souls 2 shakes things up considerably. Here, the power of your pyromancies scales with your “fire bonus” stat. This “fire bonus” is directly governed by your combined intelligence and faith stats. This means you need to invest in both intelligence and faith to reach your maximum pyromancy damage potential. While splitting your stats might seem daunting, it opens doors to hybrid builds capable of wielding both pyromancies and either miracles or sorceries. This makes for a versatile and potent character.

Dark Souls 3: Back to Int/Faith, but with Options

Dark Souls 3 maintains the intelligence and faith scaling established in Dark Souls 2. Your pyromancy damage scales with both stats, making a balanced intelligence/faith build the most optimal path for maximizing your fire-based arsenal. You can either invest equally in both stats or lean slightly towards one over the other depending on your preferred playstyle. This allows for great customization. Also remember that your catalysts scale too, with the pyromancy flame improving with upgrades.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Pyromancy and Faith

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the relationship between pyromancy and faith, and provide valuable insights for building your pyromancer:

Does black flame scale with faith?

Yes, especially in Dark Souls 3. Many black flame incantations, such as Black Flame Blade, require a certain level of faith to even cast, and their damage output directly scales with your faith stat when cast with the right Talisman/Seal.
Is faith bad in Dark Souls 3?

Absolutely not! While it might have a reputation for being weaker than intelligence-based builds, faith in Dark Souls 3 is powerful. It offers excellent healing, buffs, and damage options, especially when combined with pyromancy. The notion that faith is weak is largely a myth based on specific PvP metas.
Do any sorceries scale with faith?

Yes, a few specialized sorceries do. The Gelmir Glintstone Staff and Prince of Death’s Staff in Elden Ring (which shares many similarities with Dark Souls) increase sorcery scaling with both intelligence and faith. The Staff of the Guilty has no intelligence scaling at all, and scales solely with faith.
Does faith scale with holy damage?

Yes. Certain offensive Incantations deal Holy Damage. Weapon Arts that deal Holy Damage will benefit from Faith if the weapon has Faith scaling.
Does faith increase the damage of Incantations?

Yes. Each point allocated to the Faith stat increases the effectiveness and damage dealt by Incantations cast with weapons that have Faith scaling.
What is the best pyromancy in Dark Souls 1?

That’s subjective, but Fire Tempest, Black Flame, Great Combustion, and Chaos Storm are consistently ranked among the best. They offer a mix of damage, area control, and utility.
What does chaos gem scale with?

Chaos weapons inflict fire damage and scale with intelligence and faith. This is especially relevant in Dark Souls 3.
How much humanity does the Daughter of Chaos need?

In Dark Souls 1, offering 30 humanity to the Daughter of Chaos increases your covenant rank, earns you the Chaos Storm pyromancy, and opens a shortcut to Lost Izalith.
How do I make pyromancy stronger in Dark Souls 1?

Upgrade your Pyromancy Flame. The base flame goes to +15, and then you can ascend it further by talking to Quelaana of Izalith.
What is the best pyromancy spell?

Again, subjective, but in Dark Souls 3, Chaos Bed Vestiges, Black Flame, and Great Chaos Fire Orb are commonly considered among the best.
What are the best pyromancer skills in other games (outside of the Souls series)?

This depends entirely on the game! If you’re looking at games inspired by the Dark Souls series, you’ll need to research the specific skills and their scaling for that particular game.
What is the most powerful one-handed weapon in Dark Souls 3 for a pyromancer?

There isn’t one definitive answer, as weapon choice depends on your stats and playstyle. However, the Lothric Knight Sword, Longsword, and Anri’s Straight Sword are popular choices due to their versatility and scaling. Many pyromancers infuse their weapons with fire using a gem.
Is chaos or dark infusion better for a pyromancer weapon?

Both are viable. Chaos infusion adds fire damage and scales with intelligence and faith. Dark infusion adds dark damage and also scales with intelligence and faith. The best choice depends on the enemies you’re facing, as some are more resistant to fire while others are more resistant to dark. Having both options can be beneficial.
Does intelligence directly increase pyromancy damage (without considering the Pyromancy Flame scaling itself)?

No, it does not. Intelligence contributes to the Pyromancy Flame’s scaling bonus, which in turn increases the damage of your pyromancies. You need to upgrade your catalyst to improve scaling.
How do I find other players and communities that are interested in game mechanics?

You can find online forums, subreddits, discord servers, and local meetup groups dedicated to gaming. You can also look to educational organizations like the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org, where research and learning meet play.

Building Your Pyromancer: Key Takeaways

Ultimately, the best approach to building a pyromancer depends on the Dark Souls game you’re playing:

Dark Souls 1: Focus on upgrading your Pyromancy Flame. Stats don’t matter for pyromancy damage.
Dark Souls 2 & 3: Invest in both intelligence and faith to maximize your pyromancy damage. Experiment with different stat distributions to find what suits your playstyle.

Experimentation and adaptation are key in the Dark Souls universe. Don’t be afraid to respec your character and try different builds until you find the perfect fiery concoction. And remember, knowing the scaling mechanics is only half the battle; mastering the timing, spacing, and enemy weaknesses is what truly separates a novice from a seasoned pyromancer.

Does Pyromancy scale with faith?